Fall 2013

Vol. 36 #1oundings

necting

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neighbor and neighbor

withGod.

ggSooConn Celebrating 140 Years!

Soundings 36 #12

by Rosemary Brennan, CSJ, President

Have you ever wondered what was

stirring in the minds, hearts, and souls of those four pioneer

sisters who journeyed from Brooklyn, NY,

to Jamaica Plain, MA, 140 years ago? On October 2, 1873,

Sisters Regis Casserly, Claire Corcoran, Mary Delores Brown, and Mary Felix Cannon arrived at St. Thomas Parish, Jamaica Plain, settled in the five-room house provided by Father Thomas Magennis, and four days later opened an elementary school for 200 girls in the basement of the church. With no strategic plan, limited resources, and a lot of courage, these women dared to dream. There are many reasons to mark an anniversary such as this. Perhaps the most important is the millions of students, families, parishioners, clergy and co-workers to whom we are deeply grateful. We have not been on this journey by ourselves. In our Constitution, we state, “We acknowledge humbly and gratefully that from those to whom we minister we receive more than we give, indeed, in full measure and flowing over.” It is this relationship we celebrate during our 140th year – a relationship that inspires us to dare to continue to dream, to dare to continue to listen to the needs of our dear neighbor near and far and respond with courage and fidelity to God’s dream for our world. Father Thomas Magennis was seeking sisters to serve a poor and marginalized immigrant population. At the time, Irish Catholic immigrants – girls in particular – were not welcome in the public schools of Boston. So our presence in Boston began in response to an unmet need. While surface appearances have changed, today we continue to live the dream, we continue to hold firm to the mission of Jesus Christ and the belief that relationship is at the heart of our service to the dear neighbor without distinction.

1873-2013 and Beyond… Mother Regis Casserly would be Proud

“The good news of Jesus Christ is not so much what happens to us but what must be done by us. The choices we make for the future will create the future.”1 Our first sisters made choices to create the future. We continue to do the same. I believe Mother Regis Casserly would be proud to visit our current ministries and witness the ways in which sisters, associates, and ministry partners continue to respond directly to our newly arrived dear neighbors who are in need of education, advocacy, and inclusion into American society. †¹Ilia Delio, The Unbearable Wholeness of Being, © Orbis Books, 2013, pg. 202

Pictured above right: Sister Claire Corcoran was among our first four Boston sisters, Mother Regis Casserly, who became the first "reverend mother" in Boston, and St. Thomas Aquinas Church, where the sisters opened the first school.

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In This Issue . . .From our President

Rosemary Brennan, CSJ From the CommuniCations oFFiCe

Joanne Gallagher, CSJArticles: Pat Andrews, CSJ Rorie (Arora) Valdez Views of the 140th Liturgy CSJ Profile Mary Rita Grady, CSJ Sandra Selvarajah, CSJA Sisters of St. Joseph Federation Olga Viasus, CSJ

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by Joanne Gallagher, CSJ, Director of Communications

From Lace in LePuy to Baseball Covers in Boston the Sisters of St. Joseph Dare to Continue to Dream

From weaving lace in LePuy, France over 360 years ago, to sewing covers for baseballs in our earliest days in Boston, the Sisters of St. Joseph have always used ingenuity and

creativity to find the resources needed to respond to the needs of the dear neighbor. Yes, when our first sisters needed money to support their life and ministry they sewed baseball covers for sports teams! This connection was skillfully articulated by Bishop Robert P. Deeley, who presided at the October 6, 2013, celebration marking our 140 years of serving with and among the people of the greater Boston area. Most of us know the story as it appears on our website: When the first Sisters of Saint Joseph arrived in Boston, they found a city filled with new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe who had joined the Irish immigrants, the major immigrant population of the city, from the 1840s to the late 1870s. Boston in the late 18th century was not unlike the 17th century France of their roots. Unemployment, poverty, and illness marked the daily life of working classes. The same climate of social injustices that characterized LePuy existed in Boston. For our 140 years in Boston, we have dared to continue to dream. We have continued to respond to needs as they emerged. Lamentably, we find that Boston of 2013 bears similarities to Boston of 1873. Not only in Boston, but across our country, an immigrant population continues to seek inclusion through comprehensive immigration reform. This is why, as part of our Chapter 2012 directions, we called one another to continue to explore how to respond in new ways to the needs of people who are poor and marginalized, especially immigrants. During the year ahead, Soundings will focus on both our 140th year in Boston, and our Chapter call to respond to the continuing needs of today’s immigrant population. In this spirit, we dare to continue to dream, not just for ourselves but for and with the Church of Boston and our many neighbors in God’s sacred universe. †

Pictured right: Lace makers pillow and bobbins from Lepuy, France, baseball image courtesy of www.gaslampball.com, sisters and associates participated in a prayer vigil for just and comprehensive immigration reform on Sept. 21, 2013.

Soundings 36 #14

"The Fierce Urgency of Now"by Pat Andrews, CSJDirector of The Literacy ConnectionA

t the end of August and over the Labor Day weekend, two major events captivated the attention of the news media and, as a result, the U.S. populace and world viewers. While

one had us celebrating a 50 year milestone of the Civil Rights movement, the other had us facing the possibility of another military involvement. Two very distinct events, both having an impact on our quest for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Two years of civil war in Syria have left that country with entire towns and neighborhoods destroyed, well over 100,000 people killed, a third of the population homeless (6 million), and over 2 million people forced to leave their country. What we are viewing nightly in Syria is a reflection of what has happened to millions of people in the world over decades and centuries. A litany of memories comes to mind: Arab Spring in Libya and Egypt, military interventions in Indonesia and Japan, hurricanes in El Salvador and Haiti, earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, famine and drought in Africa, drug cartels and violence in Central and South America, and an economic downfall that brought nations and people to their knees within the European Union. All of these human-initiated conflicts and natural disasters have caused millions to leave their homelands and to seek safety, protection, and quality of life for their families in other countries or continents.

These millions of migrants and refugees, displaced from homelands, are the subject of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Five Principles to Guide Immigration Policy, and legislative reform. In this document, the Bishops state that persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families when, in the words of Pope John XXIII, “there are just reasons for it”. Migrants who are forced to leave their homes out of necessity should be given special consideration. The Bishops also state that sovereign nations have the right to control their borders in the service of the common good of their citizens. While this might seem to be a contradiction to the first principle, it is stressed that nations, particularly the economically developed and powerful, have an obligation to the universal common good and should accommodate migration to the greatest extent possible. The human rights and the human dignity of the undocumented migrants should not be blamed for the social ills of a nation (5th stated principle).

Above logo courtesy of USCCB/Justice for Immigrants. Visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org for more information.

www.csjboston.org 5

The second recent event that was happening almost simultaneously with the news of chemical warfare and possible U.S. military intervention was a commemoration of a March and of a Dream. The gathering on the Washington Mall 50 years ago of over ¼ million people addressed a glaring fallacy in our Nation’s public profession and belief that “all . . . are created equal” and are “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights . . . life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” One hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves, people of color were still not free. On that day, August 28,1963, We the People – ordinary people - of all ages, representing people from every walk of life, every religious faith, every ethnic group and persons of color, came together, not only for Civil Rights but to make a stand for justice, equality and the common good for all people. Their public witness would have a major impact on American history. In his speech that day, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about the “fierce urgency of now” in moving the Dream to fruition. Today, that same fierce urgency is needed to realize the hopes and dreams of some 11 million undocumented immigrants; to see life choices, potential and possibilities open up for some 2.1 million

DREAMERS who were brought here without authorization as young children; and to allay the fear of close to 5 million U.S. citizen children who live in “mixed-status” households, where one or both parents could be deported. It is time - as it was 50 years ago - to see our nation’s words: “that all are endowed with certain inalienable rights” and “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free . . . .” become aligned with our laws and actual practices. Something greater came from the March on Washington that day in 1963 - the power of peaceful social movements to bring about significant change! President Obama said something similar in his remarks at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28th: “Change does not come from Washington but to Washington” and through the efforts of “We the People”! The “fierce urgency of now” compels us to acknowledge that unless we are Native Americans, at some time in our family history we, too, were immigrants - strangers in a foreign land . . . and in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells us very directly that how we treat the “stranger” is how we treat him. †

"The 'fierce urgency of now' compels us

to acknowledge that unless we are Native Americans, at some time in our family

history we, too, were immigrants - strangers

in a foreign land. . ."

Pictured left: Sisters, associates, co-workers, neighbors, local business professionals, elected officials, and civic representatives gathered at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse to celebrate the 50th year of the March on Washington. Those gathered viewed a TIME video titled “One Man, One March, One Speech, One Dream”.

Soundings 36 #16

by Rorie (Arora) Valdez"Discovering a Universal Thread of Wisdom"

Teaching the Citizenship Preparation course with

Sister Pat at The Literacy Connection on Wednesday nights is some of the most fulfilling work I have ever done. The naturalization

exam administered by U.S. Citizenship and

Immigration Services evaluates an applicant’s ability to read, write, and speak English, as well as their knowledge of U.S. history, geography, and government. We work with adult English language learners to review vocabulary and study the appropriate topics. We help them fill out the 10-page application and conduct practice interviews. If a student should need more intensive work on English language skills, we also provide one-on-one tutoring One of the main reasons I am drawn to teach with the Sisters of St. Joseph is the emphasis on work for unity, on loving our neighbor without distinction, especially serving those somehow separated or alienated from the whole. This recognition that we are each but small patches of the grander universal quilt, concretely encapsulates my own beliefs. Sister Pat often says: “We are all one.” She regularly refers to this passage of the book of John in which Jesus prays for unity of his followers through love. He prays that his disciples “may all be one as we are one” and “the love with which you love me may be in them, and I in them.” This phrase, “We are all one,” is a reminder that we are all one mind and one spirit, that we are striving to bring all in unity with God. Having interacted with people around the globe while traveling and teaching, I have learned about many of the world’s religions and discovered a universal thread of wisdom. Every religion asks us to be good, ethical and moral persons. This idea boils down to a golden rule that more or less translates to “treat others as you would like to be treated.”

Reaching out to an entire planet of neighbors is what motivates me to live and teach here in Allston-Brighton, Boston’s third most populous neighborhood. City Hall often dismisses our little corner of the metropolis as a “transitional neighborhood.” Close proximity to Harvard University, Boston University and Boston College means that a fairly substantial number of students rotate through from September to May. Yet, according to 2010 Census data released by the city, this area boasted a “nonstudent/permanent household” growth larger than any other Boston neighborhood, with 85% of that growth attributed to immigrant influx. We are one of the “majority minority” areas providing the greatest population growth to Boston. The census further acknowledges that Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese (notably Brazilian and Cape Verde dialects), French (notably Haitian and Quebec dialects), and Urdu are commonly used languages in Allston-Brighton while listing an additional dozen or so other languages as having significant population. In short, we are a mini-United Nations.

www.csjboston.org 7

Communications Mission Statement

In order to promote the mission and spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Associates, the Communication Team

facil itates the sharing of both our l iving history and vision for the future by

connecting various constituencies through print and electronic media.

Soundings is a publication of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston Communications Office. It is published four-times yearly with a bi-weekly on-line Soundings Update that can be viewed at www.csjboston.org.

direCtor oF CommuniCations

Joanne Gallagher, CSJassistant direCtor oF CommuniCations

Darlene RogersCommuniCations oFFiCe assistant

Paula Marie Finn, CSJCounCil liaison

Margaret L. Sullivan, CSJProoFreader

Claire Archambault, CSJPhotograPhers

Joanne Gallagher, CSJAnne Marie Garrity, CSJ Ann Marie Ghiloni, CSJMarie Claire Goudey, CSJRosemary Michalski, CSJHelen Power, CSJ

Darlene Rogers Printer

Arlington Swifty Printing, Inc. Arlington, MA

ContaCt us at:communications.office@csjboston.org617-746-2110

637 Cambridge StreetBrighton, MA 02135 Soundings is produced with post-consumer recycled paper and is small in dimensional size, which conserves paper to help reduce paper waste. Each issue is designed for easier reading and transporting. We will continue to bring you articles and images that promote the mission and spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Associates.

What better place, then, to advocate for and strive toward unity? E pluribus unum, “Out of many, one,” is the phrase on the great seal of the United States that articulates the American ideal of a single people and nation formed from many peoples of diverse ancestries, races, religions and national origins. By teaching about freedom, democracy, equal opportunity, liberty and justice for all in Allston-Brighton, we reach out in a marginalized community and prepare people for citizenship and practical civic engagement. We work with international neighbors to improve our community’s general welfare while promoting religious tolerance and interfaith cooperation. We actively live the charism of unity, “we are all one.” †

". . . we are each but small patches of the

grander universal quilt. . ."

Soundings 36 #18

daring to

continue to dream. . .

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daring to

continue to dream. . . Sis

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"With other Christians, we participated in this transforming mission, proclaiming God's new creation in word and sacrament, in the witness of our lives, and in service." Boston CSJ Constitution, pg. 30, #

Soundings 36 #110 140 Years and beyond. .

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www.csjboston.org 11140 Years and beyond. .

."We share ministry with other women and men, seeking through this collaboration to bring to greater fruition the diversity of gifts which the Spirit imparts."Boston CSJ Constitution, pg. 32, #3

Soundings 36 #112

"Reaching Out to Those on the Margin"

Rockland, etc., and as a result, I had a little wider world view. Spellman was a big part of my life, and that was all centered around the Sisters of St. Joseph. I fell in love with them.” Though Pat had a strong pull towards the sisters, her mother wanted her to go to college. Following her mother’s wishes, Pat attended Bridgewater State College. “I figured I would do this for a year,” Pat said. “I liked college life, it was fun - meeting new people. I opted to stay for a second year.” But, after Pat’s sophomore year she said to her mother, “I listened, I went to school, but the gnawing, the call that said ‘come and see’ is still there.” Pat entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 15, 1964. “When I entered, the spirit of the sisters seeped in, much the same way as when I entered into high school and college. You begin to realize the gifts that each person has, and we all come at it with our own personality.” Pat’s first mission was teaching at St. Theresa of Avila School, West Roxbury. Then, in 1971, Pat applied to teach at Cathedral High School, Boston. Pat remembered, “We had some of the hardest times in the city of Boston. It was a time of segregation and desegregation, a time of anger and riots, disturbances. And yet, we were this oasis in the South End with black, white, Hispanic, and Asian students. They were great. We were growing in race relations, knowledge of cultures, as well as the students. What held us together was the respect, the dignity, the concern for each other - the students for us, and we for the students. We had some fantastic times, but it wasn’t without some angst and turmoil. Cathedral was a place that changed me.” While studying for her master’s degree in education at Suffolk University, Pat ministered at Regis College, working in the Office of Dean of Students and as a Resident Director in Maria Dormitory. Having obtained her MEd, she then responded to her inner desire to return to the inner city and continue teaching. So, Pat went to Our Lady of Lourdes School, Jamaica Plain to teach the seventh and eighth grades. “The whole richness of the multicultural experience was alive.” After a year, an opportunity arose and Pat was chosen as interim principal, which she loved. When the position of principal opened up, Pat applied and spent six more years there. She then went to Gate of Heaven School, South Boston as principal and remained there for nine years. “We did some remarkable things at both schools, Our

an interview with Pat Andrews, CSJ

We all develop a sense of self from

many different factors. People, events, and places contribute to who we are, and who we will become. Patricia (Pat) Andrews' parents had a strong sense

of family, religion and neighborhood involvement.

She grew up in a loving home with them and four siblings, Pat

being the oldest girl. “We were always a close family, all different, independent in our thoughts, but doing a lot of things together, vacations, weekend trips, visiting grandparents,” she said. “I grew up in Brockton, MA, a city of roll-up your sleeves, hardworking people, in a neighborhood with many faiths and populated with different ethnic groups. In a sense, growing up there influenced my feelings, my outlook on life.” For Pat, this meant a life dedicated to teaching and reaching out to those on the margin. Pat attended Brockton public schools and was introduced to the Sisters of St. Joseph during CCD classes at St. Colman’s Church. “My third grade CCD teacher was Sister Melrita. Thinking back, knowing her, I realized then we are all different people. It’s great when you see spirit come out of a person, which is what I saw in her. This is probably when I realized these people (sisters) are real.” Pat’s exposure to the sisters was expanded when she enrolled in Cardinal Spellman High School, Brockton. Here, Pat met women filled with spirit, joy, and a sense of humor. “The sisters challenged all of us, this first class of 1962. We had all their attention. That, and the joy and outlook on life that the sisters had and the encouragement they gave to nurture whatever was percolating in us, helped mold us for the future.” Pat discovered inclusivity at Spellman. Students came from five different towns and things were new to all of them. The students began emerging from their little cocoons, expanding their friendships beyond their neighborhood friends. “That was the first time for me to say, ‘ever-widening circles’. I look back now and realize my friends were from Randolph,

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Lady of Lourdes and Gate of Heaven. I was blessed to have worked with tremendous faculty in both schools and with supportive parents who loved their kids and were concerned about giving them a good education. There was a great spirit. Then I was elected to the CSJ Leadership Team in 1994.” The call to Leadership was a big change. Pat became immersed in Congregational internal ministry. She said, “I grew to love the community more than I thought possible. We are awesome, awesome women! As an Area Councilor, I became involved in sisters' lives, in their ministries. It was the end of the 90s, and not an easy time. But, it was also a time when we would be companioning sisters through sickness and through the whole death experience. I found out such extraordinary things about their lives. And still today, when I see a number of these sisters, it’s as if twenty years have never passed. I grew in the knowledge and awareness of our charism during that time, and our understanding of who we are in the Church and our contribution to this Archdiocese.” In 2000, as Pat’s term came to an end, she reflected on her next ministry. While Area Councilor, she was connected with a number of Congregation ministries. One ministry that attracted Pat was The Literacy Connection (TLC), which had an opening for a new director. Pat said, “I looked at that position and the teacher in me said, ‘Working with adults - that’s new for me’. But, I was so impressed with what I had seen while going to the TLC board meetings and celebrations at the end of the year, I thought, maybe I could do this. So, I applied and was chosen as director of The Literacy Connection. That was fourteen years ago. Each day, I see The Literacy Connection vividly reflecting the Congregation’s charism of unity and reconciliation – reaching out to those whose need - for English skills keeps them from full inclusion in society and, in some ways, limits quality of life.” Yes, Pat’s sense of self was born from her many wonderful experiences - from her family, who grew to love the sisters along with her; from Pat’s many friendships and acquaintances she has met and nurtured over her lifetime; from her students, whom Pat sees for themselves not their ethnicity; from her home town, where, from the very first, she was exposed to a multi-ethnic and multi-racial community; from her hobbies: singing, reading, cooking, or doing quiet things, and finally, from her Congregation and the presence of Church and God in her life. †

Pictured: Pat with her parents, Pat teaching at Cardinal Spellman High School, Pat with the CSJ Leadership Team (1994-2000), and Rose Canney, CSJ, and Pat with The Literacy Connection students at an Immigration Rally on Boston Common.

Soundings 36 #114

by Mary Rita Grady, CSJCSJ Archivist

In 1961, the philosopher Hannah Arendt introduced her book of the

same name with a preface entitled “The Gap between Past and Future.” Archivists, of

all people, are always in that gap, preparing

for future researchers by collecting records that creators

consider to be of historic import - and thus helpful for the future, both for ministry, and for a way of living. As we begin to celebrate the 140th year after the Sisters of St. Joseph came from Flushing, New York to Boston in October, 1873, under the aegis of a thirty-year-old woman, Sister Regis (Annie) Casserly, we have the opportunity, as a Congregation and as individuals, to think and dream about the future of the mission of the Boston CSJs by looking at the past. The sisters came at the behest of Bishop John Williams, recommended by Reverend Thomas Magennis, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Jamaica Plain. A few days after their arrival, they began to teach girls in the basement of the church. By 1877, boys had also been accepted. All of that was once “the present,” a time when decisions were made and actions taken, which we refer to now as touchstones for our way of living and ministering. That event and the many events and changes which followed, recorded at the time, and kept in archives can be concrete aids to remembering the past. In a sense archives can be looked at as memory organizations. Remembrance allows us, not to change the past, but to reinterpret it, to discover new meaning, to see it in the light of the present, of events which have succeeded the first event. The American philosopher Josiah Royce has held that the present interprets the past to the future.

As one example, we can take the ministry of education. Three photos tell a story, and show how the past has both informed and changed the later events. We see changes in classroom structure, changes in the mode of teaching and of relations to students while seeing the continuation in seeing the student - child or adult - as the neighbor whom we consider “dear.” Our archival holdings can aid us in questioning the past - substituting any verb for “teach” - when looking to the future, and can show the continuation of our values and our reinterpretation of them as times change, and as we dare to continue to dream. †

"Between Past and Future"

"Remembrance allows us, not to change the past, but to reinterpret it, to discover new meaning, to see it in the

light of the present. . ."

Pictured: Mary Rita at work digitizing our archival holdings for future generations.

www.csjboston.org 15

Soundings 36 #116

"I Came (Here) For a Better Life"by Sandra Selvarajah, CSJA

I am an immigrant. I came to the United States with my family, leaving Sri Lanka – a country torn apart by civil strife. I grew up in a small, predominantly middle

class community in Sri Lanka, called the Burghers, descendants of Dutch and British citizens who married among the local community. Sri Lanka is an island situated in South Asia. My father worked as an accounts assistant, my mother stayed at home raising my six siblings. As a Catholic family, we would recite the rosary daily and attend mass every Sunday. We were God-fearing. My husband Eswaran, an urban planner by profession, belonged to a minority race, the Tamils. We had a son, Sanjeev. As a family, we were happy and contented. Life seemed to be not so demanding . . . but that easy passage in life was short-lived. In July of 1983, in Sri Lanka society, violence against minority community erupted. This had a disastrous effect on public security, families, and institutions. Tamils, victimized and displaced by violence, had to flee to safer places – local and abroad. Having experienced violence first-hand and seeing its impact on my life, I was determined to leave the country for the safety of my family. But it was hard. The future seemed far from promising. We decided to explore the possibility of migrating. Eswaran gained admission to MIT in Boston to pursue advanced studies. I joined my husband two years later with my two children, Sanjeev, and Vinoo, who was born in 1986. By the time Sanjeev was in third grade, I was able to get my work permit. My first job was at Cambridge Montessori School, Cambridge, MA. Then, at the suggestion of a friend, I went to Walnut Park Montessori School, Newton, MA, to observe teaching assistants working in the classroom. Fortunately for me, an employee was leaving, and I was asked to be an assistant. I eventually received Montessori training and then my undergraduate degree at Leslie College. In the late 1990s, I became a United States citizen.

Walnut Park teachers and students are very diverse. They make you feel a part of the school. You want to give more of yourself, to embrace the mission. And, in whatever way I can, I want to give back. I became a Mission Effectiveness Facilitator around 2004, a position which I still hold. This is how I heard about the CSJ Associate Program. I always felt the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and the mission of Walnut Park, were tied together - helping the dear neighbor, unity, the acceptance of all humankind. That is what drew me to the associates. You feel, not just connected, but more connected. Now that my children are grown, I have more time for myself, for my personal growth. It is more time to have with God. I survived all my early years for a reason. Now, it is my time to grow spiritually, to make connections, to give back because I have been blessed.

". . .helping the dear neighbor, unity, the acceptance of all humankind. That is

what drew me to the associates."

www.csjboston.org 17

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston support immigration, social justice, and unity. They do it to keep families together, to reach out to the dear neighbor, to treat with dignity those living here so that they don’t live in fear, to treat immigrants justly, as I was treated. I came for a reason. I came for a better life. Immigrants come to the United States for a reason. †

Pictured left: Sandra during the May 1, 2013, CSJ Associate Commitment Liturgy. Pictured right: Sandra preparing to be candle bearer, tutoring a student during summer camp at Casserly House,

and standing with Joanne Maulden, CSJA at the Sept. 21, 2013, Immigration Prayer Vigil.

Soundings 36 #118

IMPACT ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Immigration impacts women and children deeply since they comprise more than half of undocumented people in the United States. Because of this and the hardship they endure, immigration reform needs a strong family reunification component so that mothers and children will not be separated.

IMMIGRATIONSTATEMENTWe, the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph Leadership Council, compelled by the Gospel and by our heritage to be responsive to the “dear neighbor” without distinction, call on the President and the U.S. Congress to enact immigration policy that is both just and comprehensive. We believe that this policy must include:

• A plan for addressing applicant backlogs for permanent residence, with family unity as a priority.

• An effective program for temporary workers that insures labor protections and equitable wages.

• A realistic path to earned legalization.

• Restoration of due process protections and reformed detention policies for those detained in the immigration system.

• Children and adults with no criminal background not be detained in centers or deported.

• Effective and humane border security that recognizes the human rights of all people.

• A process whereby students who are children of undocumented families can earn a college degree, become gainfully employed, and can enter into a path to citizenship.

Corporate Voice StatementLeadership Council

June 2012

Corporate Voice Statement design by Sarah Baker, communications specialist of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province.

www.csjboston.org 19

TALKING POINTS 1. Reduce applicant backlogs for permanent residence with family unity as a priority.

• Immigrant families contribute to the economy of our nation and help form new generations of Americans. • A U.S. family-based immigration system, to help keep families together, is in urgent need of reform. Some families wait more than 8-10 years for spouses to reunite with each other and for parents to reunite with minor children.

2. Effective Worker Program

• Job portability: Workers should be able to move between jobs without losing their immigrant status. • Family unity: allow immediate family members a work authorization visa to join the worker in the United States. • Enforcement mechanism and resources are needed to assure worker rights. • Visas should be renewable as long as the workers meet the requirements.

3. Realistic path to citizenship

• Earned legalization should be workable, achievable and fair.

4. Dream ACT

• The DREAM Act is about fairness to high school graduates who were brought to this country unlawfully through no fault of their own, since they came with their parents. Despite achieving their high school diploma, they have no options. The DREAM Act offers them a future through education or military service to their country. • This legislation is an investment in America’s youth, and in the future workforce of America. To be competitive in a global economy, we need to invest in a skilled and educated workforce.

ACTION STEPS• Advocate for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level.

• Become knowledgeable of comprehensive immigration reform at www.justiceforimmigrants.org.

• To take action on current concerns, go to www.justiceforimmigrants.org.

• Advocate for family unity and oppose inhumane immigration enforcement policies that separate families.

• Learn about your state immigration policies and take action as needed; go to http://immigrationpolicy.org/, then click on Immigration by State.

• Host a gathering and invite some to share their immigrant story; invite others to do the same. We are either immigrants or descendants of immigrant ancestors.

• Advocate for the DREAM Act - The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act: This legislation has been introduced in Congress previously, but has not yet passed. It is an important piece of legislation that offers a path to legal status for those who were brought to the United States as children and know the U.S. as their only home. For more information, go to www.justiceforimmigrants.org and www.networklobby.org/DREAM.

FOR MORE INFORMATION,VISIT: www.networklobby.org or www.justiceforimmigrants.org.

Sisters of St. Joseph of BostonSoundings637 Cambridge StreetBrighton, MA 02135

Soundings is a publication of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston

Non-profit OrgU.S. Postage PAID

Boston, MAPermit No. 58432

I am currently reading Sonia Sotomayor’s book, My Beloved World,¹ and am fascinated by her story – a story of an immigrant family, a story of the Puerto Rican culture. Anyone who reads this

book can grasp and look at the story with a new lens and perspective, comparing Sonia’s culture to our own world in the city of Boston and its surroundings. My captivation and excitement about Sonia’s story comes as I read about the taste and aroma of the food that seeped out from the restaurants in the Bronx; and when Sonia’s mother and grandmother prepared “sofrito” in her grandmother’s kitchen. Sofrito is a

sauce (blend or puree) made with green peppers, onions, cilantro, parsley, red sweet peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and salt. When Sonia travels to Puerto Rico and arrives at the airport, the food stand is right there, offering tropical fruits such as coconuts and mangos, and Sonia enjoys the fresh juice and the pulp of its content.

Today, it is very easy to go to any local supermarket in the city of Boston and find a variety of foods from fresh produce to canned goods with names of products many of us don’t even know exist. Would it not be good to offer such a variety of ethnic foods right in our local food pantries? For about ten dollars, some supermarkets offer a prepared box of ethnic food that you can donate to a needy family. Another thought is to be conscious about what we can offer someone at a food pantry – healthy food that people can enjoy with their families.² I am thinking, for instance, instead

of donating a can or two of cranberry sauce, a better choice would be cans of chickpeas, beans (red, black or kidney beans), lentils or other legumes that offer a family some protein, minerals and vitamins. It doesn’t matter what brand you donate because many ethnic groups use legumes as a food staple. For example, we know chickpeas are great in a salad or you can use them to make gazpacho soup and hummus. Throughout time, Boston has become ethnically diverse with the coming of new immigrants from different parts of the world. They bring with them their rich culture and diversity. Some of our immigrant population use food pantries to supplement their supplies due to the high price of food at the supermarkets. If you happen to work or volunteer at a food pantry, find out what we can offer as food staples for the tables of our immigrant population. I reflect upon the Gospel of Matthew³ where Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes and handed them to his disciples, to share this food with those who had gathered to hear him preach for three days with nothing to eat. Jesus had pity on them and provided nourishment for body and spirit by offering food that fed not only the body but also the soul. Providing nourishment of body and soul to our brothers and sisters remains a need these days. The Gospel tells us that Jesus fed the crowds with the loaves and fish on two occasions, but he could have done this many times over. Can we not do the same? † ¹Sonia Sotomayor, My Beloved World © 2013 ²Healthy Ideas® Food for Friends http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120806006176/en/Stop-Shop-Launches-Healthy-Ideas%C2%AE-Food-Friends ³Chapter 15; 32-38.

by Olga Viasus, CSJ

Pictured: Olga's homemade sofrito.

Food for Thought